How To Read Mathematics Books

A novel should be read fluently but math books cannot.

How to read mathematics books.

Every sentence in a math book is full of information and logically linked to the surrounding sentences. You can t read a math book the way you read other books. A math book requires a different type of reading than a novel or a short story. You should read the sentences carefully and think about their meaning.

How to read a math textbook the way you read a math textbook is different from the traditional way students are taught to read textbooks in high school or college. When you are not concentrating on math you will get very little out of it and it will seem more difficult that it really is. As you read remember that math builds upon itself. Students are taught to read quickly or skim the material.

Instructors of other courses want students to. This is an effective learning technique when you write down definitions theorems and explanations in your own words you are more likely to understand and remember them. If you are reading a novel and are somewhat distracted you can still get the idea of the story. The flow of a math book is not like the flow of a novel.

When reading a math book take notes as a way to translate the text into your own words. If you do not understand a word you are supposed to keep on reading. If you do not understand a word you are supposed to keep on reading. Students are taught to read quickly or skim the material.

The way you read a math textbook is different from the traditional way students are taught to read textbooks in high school or college.